Loading device



1, 1931. G. M. KILCARR 1,834,787

LOADING DEVICE Filed May 11, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WITNESSES G. N). /(/L.CF RR k ATTORNEYS G.' M. KILCARR NG DEVICE Filed May 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES MfMv/d 5 INVENTOR G /LCHRR BY ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1, 1931 nitas STATES P AT'ENT! OF'FIOE GILBERT M. KILCAR-R, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGIN'OR TO INTERSTATE EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION 01" NEW YORK LOADING DEVICE Application filed May 11,

il -his invention relates to loading devices.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved loading device particularly adapted for the loading of cable-drawn tramway cars.

It is a further object of the present inven tion to provide adevice of the character described of the batch loader type which will deliver to a tramway car a predetermined quantity of material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described, which will be automatically operated in response to movement of the tramway cars to load the same with a predetermined quantity of material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a device of the .character described, a pivoted loading mechanism operable by gravity to control a feeding mechanism whereby -a predetermined quantity of material will be supplied to the loader, after which "the feeding mechanism will be stopped automatically.

Other objects of the present invention include the provision of a device h-avinga novel and improved combination and interrelation of parts whereby the whole is simple in construction and operation and well designed to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conj-uction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an illustration of one form of the present invention in which the control for the feeding mechanism is arranged for by suitable circuits and circuitclosures;

Fig. 2 is a modified form of the invention in which a pneumatic control is used for the feeding mechanism Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan View of that form of the invention shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the valve shown .in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation in detail showing the loader door and assembly;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation looking in the direction'of the arrow shown inFig. 5, and

1929. Serial No. 362,217.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on lines 77 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the present invention is shown in combination with a tramway car system which includes to the specific tramway system herein dis-' closed and that the invention may be used v in the loading of material regardless of the type of car to which material is loaded or conveyor system therefor. I

The present invention includes a suitable hopper to which material is supplied in any desired manner, the lower end of the hopper discharging into a feeder bin 16, the floor at the forward end of which is aperture-d as at 17, the material indicated at 18 being arranged to be supplied through the aperture 17 by movement of a feeder plate 19 arranged for mechanical association for movement in response to the energization of an electrical motor 20. Mounted adjacent the aperture 17, a loader bin 21 is provided suitably su-ppor-ted on a pivoted cradle 22 which is pivoted as at 23 and counterbalanced by a weight 24, whereby the normal position of the loader bin 21 when empty will be in raised osition as shown in Fi 1. \Vhen the loader l bin is full, however, the weight of the material therein will counterbalance the weight 2 1 and the cradle 22 will move downwardly to control the electrical circuit of the motor 20, as will be hereinafter described.

For automatically discharging material from the loader bin 21 to the car 10 when the car is properly positioned thereunder,.an operating arm 25 mounted upon the bin 21 is provided, which is adapted to be operated by the car to permit the "feeder door 26 of the bin 21 to open by gravity and by the weight of the material in the hopper, thus discharging the material to the car 10. One preferred embodiment of the loader door controlling Wlll be hereinafter discussed in connection therewith. For automatically controlling the feeder motor 20 in response to movement of the cars 10, reference may be had to the electrical circuit associated therewith, which includes the usual source of potential 27 con nected by a conductor 28 with one side of the motor 20, whilethe other side of the motor is associated through the conductor 29 with a magnetically controlled switch 34. For energizing the switch 34-to start or stop the motor 20 the circuit'controller 30 is mounted adjacent the upper track 12, whereby pas sage of the car to position under the loader will open the motor circuit, thus preventing operation of'the feeding mechanism during the time the door 26 is open. At the end of the upper track 12, a circuit controller 32 is provided in series with the controller 30, the circuit including a source of potential 33 and which is adapted to control the relay 34 mounted in conjunction with the circuit controller 30, the arrangement being such that as the car passes the circuit controller 80, the circuit will be broken, thus stopping the feeding motor 20. After the car has been fully loaded, as it passes from the tracks the circuit controller 32 is operated, whereby therelay 34 will be energized and the motor reenergized.

The circuit controller 30 is also associated by a conductor 35 with the circuit controller '31, which is mounted adjacent the end of the cradle 22, its normal position, being closed with its operating arm 36 up. When the bin 21 is full, the cradle 22 will move downwardly thus striking the. arm 36 and breaking the circuit to the motor 20, which circuit remains broken until such time as the hopper is empty and the cradle again resumes the position shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the circuit controllers 30 and 32 provide a safety device sothat should the bin 21 be only partially full when the car approaches the mouth of the bin, the motor will be automatically shut off, thus preventing the operation of thefeeding movement during the loading from the bin 21. The circuitfor the relay 34 also includes the door of the bin 21 closing of which completes the circuit, the arrangement being such that operation of the motor is prevented while the door is open.

It will be understood that the electrical circuit involved is only diagrammatically shown and the present invention isnot confined to any specific structure of circuit controllers or relays therefor. I

It will be readily understood that the pre ent invention may be arranged for pneumatic motive power in lieu ofthe electrical circuit involved as shown in Fig. 1. One form of the present invention which utilizes pneumatic controlhas been illustrated in Figs.- 2 to 7,.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 is designed primarily for the loading of solid or semi-solid material which will not flow freely. Thus the motor controlled feeding mechanismis required. The pneumatic system, however, is arranged for use with free flowing material and thus the feeding mechanism is displaced by a small gate which controls the discharge of the material to the loader bin.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, the loader bin 21 and cradle 22 are provided, the cradle being pivoted as at 23 to a suitable support or structure which is arranged adjacent the upper track 12 over which the cars 10 are drawn by the cable 11, substantially as shown inFig.1. I

For controlling the feed of the material from the feeder bin 15.to the loader bin21, a pivoted loading gate 40'is provided, operatively associated with a controlling plunger 41, which extends from a cylinder 42 arranged for pneumatic operation of the plunger 41. For closing the gate 40, the rear end of the cylinder 42 is associated with a tubing 48, which leading. to a double-acting valve 44, shown in detail in Fig. 4. For opening the gate 40, the forward end of the cylinder 42 is associated with a tubing 45 which also leads to the valve 44. Within the valve 44 a valve plug 46 is arranged having'a pair of angular valve'ports 47 and 48, the port 47 being arranged to connect either the tubing 43 with an inlet connection 49 or the tubing 43 with the exhaustrconnection 50, while the port 48 is arranged for associating the tubing 45 with either the inlet or the exhaust. WVith the valve, plug 46 arranged in the position shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that air from a suitable source (not shown) passes from the inlet 49 through the tubing 43 to move the plunger 41 to close the gate 40, while the air infront of the plunger of the cylinder 42 passes through the tubing 45 to the port 48 to the exhaust- 50. With the plug 46 rotating a quarter turnin counter-clockwise direction, the port 47 will connect the exhaust 50 with the tubing 43, whereby the pressure will be admitted to the opposite end of the cylinder and the gate will be opened and will be retained so.

For actuating the valve plug 46, an extending control lever 51 is provided, which through association with a spring 52 normally retains the plug in the position shown in Fig. 4. Associated with the lever 51, an angularly related arm 58 is connected by'a link 54 to an operating lever55 mounted adj acent the eXtremit-yof the upper track 12, and

mounted to be struck bythe-car as it passes from the track whereby thelink 54 will be moved to rotate the plug incounter-clockwise direction, thus connecting theinlet port 49 with the tubing 45, whereby-theplung'er 41 will be forced r'earwardlyJ and the gate 40 will be opened and will be retained open until the arm 56- which will strike the lever 51 and rotate the plug in clockwise direction, thus connecting the tubing 43 with the inlet port 49, whereupon the plunger 41 will be forced forwardly, closing the gate 40.

The form of the invention thus presented .has no associated means for preventing the opening of the gate 40 when the car is under the. loader bin, as provided by the circuit controller 30 in Fig. 1. It will be readily understood that suitable mechanical means equivalent to the switch or controller 30 may be provided without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

F or automatically opening the door 26 of the bin 21, the structure presented more specifically .in Figs. 5 and 6 may be referred to. For closing the door 26 when the bin- 21 is empty, the outer face of the door is provided with an angularly extending arm 60, the extremity of which carrles welghts 61, the

arrangement being such that at the end of the loading period, the door will close by gravity, the weights providing sutlicient inertia to swing the door past its normal depending position, to lock the same by the engagement of extending side portions 62 of the door with pivoted dogs 63. F or pivotally moving the dogs 63 to release the door, a pivoted link 64 is provided associated with thedogs and extending outwardly thereof, being guided for movement by a suitable strap Pivotally connected with the link 64, an operating arm 66 is provided, secured by a pin 67 to the link 64, its upper end being pivotally associated with a base 68 which is mounted upon the side of the bin 21 and which carries pivotally associated therewith, the dogs 63. The lower end of the arm 66 is adapted to normally lie in a position adjacent the track 12, whereby the car 10 will strike the same as it approaches the bin 21, thus forcing the link 6 L forwardly to tilt upwardly the forward end of the dogs 68, thus releasing the portions 62 of the door 26. The door 26 is further provided with extending side portions 69 which are adapted to rest upon the side flanges of the car 10 and which by such engagement force the door to a fully opened position and retain it so that the car passes thereunder. It will be understood that after the car is loaded and it mov-esfrom engagement with the projecting portions 69 of the door, the door will be swung closed due to the inertia of the weights 61, and upon so swinging will engage the dogs 63, rocking them about their pivots so that the extending portions 62 of the door will be received and retained in the dogs 63, as shown in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the invention provides a simple and efficient structure for carrying out the objects of the present invention as herein outlined. It will also be seen that the invention is applicable to pneumatic or electrical operation.

It will be understood that the invention is not confined to the specific structure or operating medium herein shown and that numerous changes and modifications in the structural details and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in, the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a plurality of carriers and a loading device including a feeder bin and a loader bin, of means operable by movement of carriers adjacent said loader bin for controlling the movement of material to said loader bin.

2. The combination with a. plurality of carriers and a loading device including a feeder bin and a loader bin, of means operable by movement of carriers adjacent said loader bin for controlling the movement of material to said loader bin and from said loader bin to said carriers.

3. The combination with a plurality of carriers, a feeder bin and a motor-actuated feeding device associated therewith, of a pivoted cradle, a. loader bin carried by said cradle, means operable by movement of said cradle for controlling said motor, and means operable by movement of carriers adjacent said loader bin to prevent actuation of said motor.

4. The combination with a plurality of carriers, a feeder bin and a motor-actuated feeding device associated therewith, of a pivoted cradle, a loader bin carried by said cradle, means operable by movement of said cradle for controlling said motor, means operable by movement of carriers adjacent said loading hopper to prevent actuation of said motor, and means operable by movement of carriers from beneath said loader bin to permit actuation of said motor.

5. The combination with a. plurality of carriers, a feeder bin and a motor-actuated feeding device associated therewith, of a pivoted cradle, a loader bin carried by said cradle, means operable by movement of said cradle for controlling the motor, means operable by movement of carriers adjacent said loader bin to prevent actuation of said motor, and means operable by movement of carriers adjacent said loader bin to permit actuation of said motor, said means including an elec trical circuit for said motor, a carrier-actuated circuit controller and a crmllc-actuated circuit controller.

6. The combination with a plurality of carriers, a feeder bin and av motor-actuated feeding device associated therewith, of a pivoted cradle, a loader bin carried by said the la eradle means operable by movement of said cradle for controlling said motor, means'operable by movement of carriers adjacent said loader bin to prevent actuation ofsaid motor,

- operable by movement of carriers adjacent-said loader bin to permit actuation of said motor, said means including an electrical circuit for said motor, a carrieractuated cir cuit controller and a cradle-actuated circuit controll r, and an associated circuit and relay for resetting said carrier-actuated circuit controller by movement of said carrier from beneath said loader bin. 7

7. In a loading device, a carrier movable past and under the'device, a loader bin, coacting means on the carrier and loader bin forclfecting the discharge of the contents of into the former when it reaches a position thereunder, a feeder bin disposed overt-he loader bin, mechanism for feeding naterial from said feeder bin to the loader bin, means operable by the'loader bin when filled for rendering the feeding mechanism inactive and'means subsequently operableby the carrier during its movement away from the loading device for rendering said feeding mechanism active. p

8. In a carrier loading device,.a carrier movable past and under said loading device, a loader bin, coacting means on the carrier and loader bin for'eifecting the discharge of the contentsof the latter into the former when it reaches a position thereunder, a feeder bin disposed over the loader bin, mechanismfor feeding material from the feeder bin to the loader bin, means for rendering said feeding mechanism inactive when the loader bin is filled, means for rendering the feeding mechanism inactive when the loader bin is discharging, mean-s operable'by the carrier when at a predetermined approachingrelation to the loader bin for rendering said feeding mechanism inactive and means operable bythe carrier when moved away from the loading device a predetermined distance for permitting actuation of the feeding mechanism.

9. In a carrier loading device, aplurality of carriers successively movable past and under the device, a loader bin having an outlet, a closure therefor, latch means for bold ing said closure in closed relation, means on the carriers for releasing the latch means when the carriers reach a position under the loader bin, a feeder bin disposed over the loader bin, mechanism for feedingmaterial therefrom to the loader bm, means operable .by the loader bin when filled for rendering the feeding mechanism inactive, means for preventing actuation of sald-feeding mechanism when the closure of the "loader bin is opened: and permitting actuation thereof when the closure of the loader bin isclosed and means disposed in the path of movement ofv and: operable by the carrier when: ap-

proaching andleaving the loading device for respectively stopping and permitting of the actuation of the feeding mechanism.

' 10. In combination, a plurality of carriers,

a device for loading the same and past and under which device saidcarriers are successively moved, said device including a feeder bin, :1, subterposed carrier loading bin, a circuit including electrically actuated mecha- M nism for feeding material from the feeder bin into the loader bin, means for mounting said loader bin for limited downward movement when filled, means for breaking the circuit to said mechanism when the loader bin is filled and depressed, said loader bin having a discharge outlet and a closure therefor releasable when the carrier reaches a position thereunder,,means for breaking said feeding mechanism circuit when the loader closure is opened and for completing said circuit when it is closed, means for breaking the circuit to the feeding mechanism when the'carriers 

